Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
SEATTLE — The Utah Royals got two cracks at the Seattle Reign on the road in the last two weeks and could not come up with a win on either trip.
The first match ended in a 1-1 draw, and Friday's Summer Cup kickoff looked to be going the same way until Sofia Huerta headed home the game-winner in the 77th minute to send Utah home with a loss.
"I think that was just kind of a mentality thing and we just let them get behind us," forward Cameron Tucker said. "I think that moving forward we can still have that emphasis and hopefully compete for a whole 90 minutes so that we don't have goals scored on us late in the game like that."
The Royals tied the game during first-half stoppage time on a goal from Tucker after a penalty gave Seattle a 1-0 lead just minutes before. The Tucker goal came off a rebound from a long-distance shot by fellow former BYU Cougar and Utah native Brecken Mozingo.
Right place. Right time. Cameron Tucker with the rebound! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/C7lw71iNDl
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 20, 2024
"When something like that happens you black out a little bit," Tucker said of her goal. "I can't exactly remember what happened. I just know that we had a really good push forward, Brecken was great on the ball, people were moving up the field and I kind of just found myself in the right place at the right time."
Utah led the match in possession and total shots — despite missing eight players due to injury or international duty — but got just three of its 11 shots on frame, and made some mistakes in their own box to give up a penalty and open header to the home team.
Rookie goalkeeper Cristina Roque got her debut and first start as a Royal with Mandy Haught on the bench and came up with a pair of saves in her first professional appearance.
The Royals return home to continue Summer Cup play at America First Field on Saturday, July 27 against the Portland Thorns at 8 p.m. MDT.
